UK Book Club discussion

Why not add yet another never ending challenge for me to feel like I'm making no progress on? :P
Actually, I read so many books set in England that I might as well go for it. Also, the local library has shelves of books set in Wales. I should take advantage of that while I still live here.

29/94 read

ENGLAND

1. Bedfordshire (Bedford, Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade, Sandy)
✓2. Berkshire (Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Newbury, Windsor, Wokingham, Abingdon) - The Fox
3. Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Slough, Buckingham, High Wycombe)
✓4. Cambridgeshire (Cambridge, Wisbech, Ely, March, Whittlesey, Chatteris, Linton) - Tom's Midnight Garden
✓5. Cheshire (Chester, Stockport, Ellesmere Port, Birkenhead, Wallasey, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Crewe) - Wives and Daughters
✓6. Cornwall (Bodmin, Truro, Camborne, Redruth, St. Austell, Falmouth, Penzance, Newquay) - Rebecca
7. Cumberland (Carlisle, Whitehaven, Workington, Penrith, Keswick, Brampton)
✓8. Derbyshire (Derby, Chesterfield, Glossop, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Swadlincote, Buxton, Matlock, Ashbourne) - Lair of the White Worm
✓9. Devon (Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Paignton, Barnstaple, Tiverton, Newton Abbot, Tavistock) - And Then There Were None
✓10. Dorset (Dorchester, Poole, Weymouth, Sherborne, Wimborne Minster, Shaftesbury) - Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe
11. Durham (Durham, Sunderland, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Gateshead, Washington)
12. Essex (Chelmsford, Basildon, Romford, Southend, Colchester, Harlow, Brentwood, West Ham)
✓13. Gloucestershire (Gloucester, Bristol, Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester, Tewkesbury) - Slagside
✓14. Hampshire (Winchester, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Basingstoke, Newport) - Wylding Hall
15. Herefordshire (Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Leominster, Ledbury, Bromyard, Kington)
✓16. Hertfordshire (Hertford, Watford, St. Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Hatfield) - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
17. Huntingdonshire (Huntingdon, St. Ives, St. Neots, Ramsey, Yaxley)
✓18. Kent (Maidstone, Canterbury, Bromley, Rochester, Margate, Folkestone, Dover, Greenwich) - The Canterbury Tales
✓19. Lancashire (Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Bolton, Warrington, Barrow-in-Furness) - The Accidental Honeymoon
20. Leicestershire (Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Melton Mowbray, Coalville, Lutterworth)
✓21. Lincolnshire (Lincoln, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Boston, Grantham, Stamford, Skegness, Louth) - The Mill on the Floss
✓22. Middlesex (City of London, Harrow, Enfield, Staines, Ealing, Potters Bar, Westminster ) - A Christmas Carol
✓23. Norfolk (Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn, Dereham, Cromer, Hunstanton) - Armadale
✓24. Northamptonshire (Northampton, Peterborough, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough) - Mansfield Park
✓25. Northumberland (Alnwick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Morpeth, Hexham, Berwick-upon-Tweed) - The Heiress of Linn Hagh
✓26. Nottinghamshire (Nottingham, Mansfield, Worksop, Newark, Retford, Southwell) - Lady Chatterley's Lover
✓27. Oxfordshire (Oxford, Banbury, Witney, Bicester, Henley-on-Thames, Carterton, Thame) - Gaudy Night
28. Rutland (Oakham, Uppingham. Cottesmore)
29. Shropshire (Shrewsbury, Telford, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Ludlow)
30. Somerset (Taunton, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Wells, Glastonbury)
31. Staffordshire (Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Cannock, Lichfield)
✓32. Suffolk (Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds, Lowestoft, Felixstowe, Sudbury, Haverhill, Bungay) - On The House
✓33. Surrey (Guildford, Croydon, Woking, Sutton, Kingston-on-Thames, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Brixton) - The End of the Affair
34. Sussex (Chichester, Brighton, Worthing, Crawley, Hastings, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Horsham)
✓35. Warwickshire (Warwick, Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby, Solihull, Stratford-upon-Avon) - Silas Marner
36. Westmorland (Appleby, Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Kirkby Lonsdale)
✓37. Wiltshire (Trowbridge, Salisbury, Swindon, Chippenham, Devizes, Marlborough, Warminster) - Lost in a Good Book
38. Worcestershire (Worcester, Dudley, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Malvern, Evesham)
39. Yorkshire
✓a)North Riding (Northallerton, Middlesbrough, Scarborough, Whitby) - The Secret Garden
b) East Riding (Beverley, Hull, Bridlington, Driffield, Hornsea, Filey)
✓c) West Riding (Wakefield, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Halifax, Harrogate) Hometown Christmas

WALES (including Monmouthshire)

40. Anglesey/Sir Fon (Beaumaris, Holyhead, Llangefni, Amlwch, Menai Bridge)
41. Brecknockshire/Sir Frycheiniog (Brecon, Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Talgarth, Llanwrtwd Wells)
42. Caernarfonshire/Sir Gaernarfon (Caernarfon, Bangor, Llandudno, Conwy, Pwllheli, Porthmadog)
43. Carmarthenshire/Sir Gaerfyrddin (Carmarthen, Llanelli, Ammanford, Llandovery, Kidwelly, St. Clears)
✓44. Cardiganshire/Ceredigion (Cardigan, Aberystwyth, Lampeter, New Quay, Tregaron) Aberystwyth Mon Amour
45. Denbighshire/Sir Ddinbych (Denbigh, Wrexham, Ruthin, Abergele, Llangollen)
46. Flintshire/Sir Fflint (Mold, Flint, Rhyl, Prestatyn, Connah's Quay, Holywell, Buckley, St. Asaph)
47. Glamorgan/Morgannwg (Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr Tydfil, Barry, Caerphilly, Bridgend, Neath, Pontypridd)
48. Merioneth/Meirionnydd (Dolgellau, Bala, Tywyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Barmouth, Harlech)
49. Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy (Monmouth, Newport, Blackwood, Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Chepstow, Tredegar)
50. Montgomeryshire/Sir Drefaldwyn (Montgomery, Newtown, Welshpool, Machynlleth, Llanidloes)
51. Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro (Pembroke, Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Fishguard, Tenby, St. David's)
52. Radnorshire/Sir Faesyfed (Presteigne, Llandrindod Wells, Knighton, Rhayader, New Radnor)

SCOTLAND

53. Aberdeenshire (Aberdeen, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Huntley, Ellon, Turriff)
54. Angus/Forfarshire (Forfar, Dundee, Arbroath, Brechin, Montrose, Carnoustie, Kirriemuir)
55. Argyllshire (Inveraray, Oban, Dunoon, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead, Tobermory)
56. Ayrshire (Ayr, Kilmarnock, Irvine, Saltcoats, Kilwinning, Largs, Troon, Cumnock)
57. Banffshire (Banff, Buckie, Keith, Macduff, Portsoy, Dufftown)
58. Berwickshire (Greenlaw, Duns, Eyemouth, Lauder, Coldstream)
59. Buteshire (Rothesay, Millport, Brodick, Lochranza)
60. Cromartyshire (Cromarty, Ullapool)
61. Caithness (Wick, Thurso, Halkirk, Castletown)
62. Clackmannanshire (Clackmannan, Alloa, Tillicoultry, Tullibody)
63. Dumfriesshire (Dumfries, Annan, Lockerbie, Moffat, Sanquhar, Langholm, Gretna)
64. Dunbartonshire/Dumbartonshire (Dumbarton, Clydebank, Cumbernauld, Helensburgh, Alexandria, Kirkintilloch)
65. East Lothian/Haddingtonshire (Haddington, North Berwick, Dunbar, Tranent, East Linton)
✓66. Fife (Cupar, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, St. Andrews, Cowdenbeath, Burntisland) The Wasp Factory
67. Inverness-shire (Inverness, Fort William, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Portree)
68. Kincardineshire (Stonehaven, Banchory, Laurencekirk, Inverbervie)
69. Kinross-shire (Kinross, Milnathort)
70. Kirkcudbrightshire (Kircudbright, Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie, New Galloway)
✓71. Lanarkshire (Lanark, Glasgow, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Coatbridge, Carluke) Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
✓72. Midlothian/Edinburghshire (Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Penicuik, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg) The Sunday Philosophy Club
73. Morayshire (Elgin, Forres, Rothes, Lossiemouth, Fochabers)
74. Nairnshire (Nairn, Auldearn, Cawdor, Ferness)
75. Orkney (Kirkwall, Sromness, Balfour)
76. Peeblesshire (Peebles, Innerleithen, West Linton)
77. Perthshire (Perth, Crieff, Pitlochry, Callander, Blairgowrie, Rattray, Coupar Angus, Kincardine)
78. Renfrewshire (Renfrew, Paisley, Greenock, Johnstone, Port Glasgow, Barrhead, Kilmalcolm)
79. Ross-shire (Dingwall, Stornaway, Tain, Alness, Invergordon)
80. Roxburghshire (Jedburgh, Hawick, Kelso, Melrose, Roxburgh)
81. Selkirkshire (Selkirk, Clovenfords, Galashiels)
82. Shetland (Lerwick, Scalloway, Baltasound)
83. Stirlingshire (Stirling, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Kilsyth, Bridge of Allan, Denny, Alva)
84. Sutherland (Dornoch, Helmsdale, Brora, Golspie, Lairg, Durness, Tongue)
85. West Lothian/Linlithgowshire (Linlithgow, Livingston, Bo'ness, Broxburn, Whitburn, Armadale, Bathgate)
86. Wigtownshire (Wigtown, Stranraer, Newton Stewart, Whithorn)

NORTHERN IRELAND

87. Antrim (Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne, Lisburn, Newtownabbey)
88. Armagh (Armagh, Newry, Craigavon)
89. Down (Belfast, Newry, Dundonald, Newtownards, Bangor)
90. Fermanagh (Enniskillen, Lisnaskea)
91. Londonderry (Londonderry, Coleraine, Limavady)
92. Tyrone (Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon, Strabane)

Starting out by contemplating if my current read, Lost in a Good Book can be used for no. 37, Wiltshire, as the main character works in Swindon. But the book is really all over the place.

At a quick page and chapter count, a bit over half the book is set in Swindon, and as the rest is divided between multiple locations, so Swindon is the main setting. So I've decided to use it for Wiltshire, because that means I have made a start. Yay!

Happy travels Leni

No. 26: is set in the area of Teversal in Nottinghamshire.

It appears that is set in Lincolnshire, even though it is based on Warwichshire. So... 21: Lincolnshire it is, I guess!

Hello Leni. That's one hell of a challenge you've set yourself there! You did well just typing out the list! Good luck with the challenge. I was curious about Norway and whether it was divided into counties or regions at all, and how many there were?
Love the hair btw, very Bjork-like!

Kevin wrote: "Hello Leni. That's one hell of a challenge you've set yourself there! You did well just typing out the list! Good luck with the challenge. I was curious about Norway and whether it was divided into..."

Hi Kevin! I actually just copied the list from another post. We're all mad here! I'm also reading around the world, and through all the US and Canadian states and territories. Progress is slow overall. LOL

Norway has 19 counties, so that would be a shorter journey. Now there's an idea... Although Norwegian books are harder to come by for me now that I live in the UK, so maybe not.

is mainly set somewhere near Thwaite, which turns out to be in Richmondshire District, which again apparently is in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Phew, that Yorkshire is tricky to figure out. So that's 39A done.

I'm not really getting on well with D. H. Lawrence, and didn't like at all. At least it had a mention of location (Blewbury), so I can scratch Berkshire off the list (as well as another book off the Boxall 1001-list).

You and me both, Lady C was fine, but 'Women in Love' was a chore. I doubt I'll be going back for more ;)

I have yet to meet anyone who liked 'Women in Love', Liz! But I still think I might attempt 'Sons and Lovers'. Maybe.

Meanwhile I have Devon covered with Agatha Christie's

I have to say this is going a lot faster than my Around the World and Across America challenges. And I'm not even trying! I just naturally read more books set in the UK. Cornwall next, I think, with Daphne du Maurier.

was rather dull and disappointing, but it did at least give me my first Scottish county: Midlothian/Edinburghshire.

I've realised I've forgotten to add some books here! In February I re-read which is set in Oxford. is a Norwegian book, but it is set in Bristol, thus giving me Gloucestershire. is set in Swindon, but I already have a book for Wiltshire, so that's my first double-up. gives me Cornwall, and so will every other Daphne du Maurier book I might read.

Currently reading which is set in Hampshire. This is going quite well! 11 counties in four months. And I'm not even making a special effort.

Two more Daphne du Murier books, both set in Cornwall. That's not getting me anywhere. But I have also, at long last, completed The Canterbury Tales and while they start out in London, they spend most of the book riding through Kent. Is this cheating? I mean, the book is basically a bunch of stories, none of which are set in Kent, but the characters telling the stories are. I'm counting it for Kent.

I would give it to you for just the achievement of it. lol

Hah. Thank you. I admit it felt like a never ending chore! I did read a Modern English translation, not the original Middle English, and it was still hard going. I used Serial Reader so I only had to spend 15 minutes or so per day, but it took 64 days!

There a lot you can do with 64 days like find another book. I suppose it goes under the heading of War and Peace being able to say you have the t-shirt and read the book.

Well, yes. At a count I read 30 other books (including quite a few graphic novels) in the same time period. If I had to limit myself to just the Canterbury Tales I would have quit. LOL

I didn't add much to this in the second half of the year. Kept reading the same few counties, or books set either all over the place or in undisclosed and indeterminable English locations.

So after the first year I have 20 in total, all but one set in England and none at all in Wales. I might have to make more of a concentrated effort in 2018. Time to raid the local library. They do have a whole shelf section dedicated to books set in Wales. I have really no excuse!

First county of the year: Northumberland -

Cheshire - Wives and Daughters

Got my first Welsh book read at last. Funny how I intended to focus on Wales first and then just read a bunch of books set in England. But anyway, for Cardiganshire/Ceredigion I have

Warwickshire -
Not my favourite George Eliot, but it was quick. And had a happy ending, which is hardly a guarantee with GE.

This is going to take me the rest of my life. I keep reading books set in either London or in unidentifiable parts of the English "countryside".

But I've managed Lanarkshire (Glasgow) with the very entertaining

Fife -

That was... disturbing but fascinating.